Panel switch



Sept. 25, 1934. R. J. PARsoNs Er AL PANEL SWITCH Filed June l. 1932 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Robe/' l Parsons 9b John W'onwqy 'ATTORNEY M QQuil

l f i ,l n. 1 y x. x 1 t .f :l1 1 H i N V l\ l H u .HHH l 1W! 1 r I ll!ll v y l 1| ll. l y y X Sw Septo 25, 1934. R. .,j. PARSONS Er AL. LQTMA@I PANEL swzTcH Filed June l, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @figg I ff@ ATTORNEYPatented sept. 2s, v1934 PATENT OFFICE PANEL SWITCH Robert J. Parsons,Schenectady, and John W.

Conway, Mechanicville, N. Y., assignors to Consolidated Car-HeatingCompany, N. Y., a corporation of New York Inc., Albany,

Application June 1, 1932, Serial No. 614,826

l eoiaims. (C1. 20o-5o) For a detailed description of the present formof our invention, reference may be had to the following specificationand to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein Fig. 1is a side elevation of our device;

Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 1;Fig. 4 is a plan of Fig. 3 with the lid up. Our invention consists in apanel switch having certain novel features that will be described hereinin detail.

Our switch consists fundamentally of a toggle together with an operatinghandle l that throws the toggle to one side or the other of the deadcenter and is itself positively set thereby in either open or closedposition.

The toggle is composed of two bars, 2, 2, anda rod 3 that is surroundedby a compression spring 4. The bars and rod aforesaid are both joined toa roller 19 which makes contact below with an anvil pin and above withan anvil cross* rod 13. The bars 2, 2 are pivotedat their rear ends to astandard 21 and the rod 3 is free to slide with respect to roller 19.

'2'5 The handle l is composed of a thin arc-shaped plate of insulationhaving at top a short trans.

verse bar 5. At the bottom of the handle there are riveted cheek plates27 which extend forward to form the pivotal point of the aforesaid rod3. The said rod 3 terminates at its rear end on a block 22 which isforked to embrace the pivotal crossrod joining the aforesaid cheekplates 27. The pressure of the spring 4, which surrounds rod 3, actsagainst the said block 22 to hold it in engagement with the cross-rod.The upper end of handle 1 carrying the cross-bar 5 projects upwardlythrough the hinged lid 16 that covers the switch. In this lid 16 is aslot 40 (Fig. 2) which receives the blade portion of the handle. This 40,slot is enlarged, as indicated at 5, so that the cross-bar 5 standsacross the slot and above it,

when the switch is clod, as it is in Figs. 1 and 2,

but when the switch is open, as itis in Figs. 3. and

4, bar 5 comes opposite the enlargement 5, and the lid can then belifted, the cross-bar 5 passing through the opening 5a in the lid. 'I'hestandard 21 is provided with an extension having means for connectionwith an electric conductor, as shown. On the under side of lid 16 is anangle piece 17 (see Figs. 1 and 3) which passes through an opening inlatch 18 when that latch stands upright. But when the switch is open, asin Fig. 3, the handle 1 engages the said latch 18 and tips it over tothe left, as shown in Fig. 3, against the force of its spring 30, whichis overcome by spring 4, and thereby releases the said angle 17 and thecover 16 to which the angle is secured. 'Thereby the lid or cover 16 cannot be lifted when the switch is closed, being locked by 18 and 17. Theswitch must be opened, as shown in Fig. 3, be- 69 fore the lid 16 can belifted. Moreover, there is xed to the under side of lid 16 an arc-shapedpiece of insulation 32, which, when lid 16 is lifted, stands at theright of handle 1, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and prevents theclosure of the switch, so long as the lid 16 is lifted. At the left ofthe switch in Fig. 1, is a fuse 33 seated on the insulating base 9, andat the left of the fuse is an upright insulating wall 34 on top of whichthe lid 16 rests when it is down. At the 'i0 right of the switch is achute 12 of insulating material which surrounds the conductor rod 13having a suitable binding post, so that it may be connected with anelectric conductor. The toggle aforesaid projects into the lower part ofsaid Ft chute 12 and roll 19 makes Contact therein with the rod 13 whenthe switch is closed and with pin 25 when it is open. On the iiat sidesof chute 12 and outside of it are magnetic plates 11 which form thepoles of the magnet 10 and serve to ex- 80 tinguish any arc at theswitch contacts.

Inoperation the switch handle snaps hard over the dead center of itstoggle. In closing the toggle, bars 2, 2 and rod 3 spring up againstcross-bar` 13, while in opening they spring down against pin 25. Theturning of handle 1 swings the forked block 22 up or down in an archaving the pivot 6 as its center.v This compresses the spring 4 and thenallows it to re-expand as it goes over the dead center to force the roll19, on the right hand of the bars 2, 2, either up against cross-bar 13,or down against pin 25. The handle 1 can not close the switch while thelid 16 is up, nor can the lid 16 be lifted until the switch is closed.Only while the lid is down and locked can the switch handle be workedfreely to close and open the switch.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A toggle switch comprising a fixed support 10o having means forconnection with an electric conductor, a handle pivoted to said support,a toggle member pivoted at one end to said support and having its otherend free, a rotatively mounted contact member carried by said free end,a second toggle member having one end pivotally engaging said handle andits -other end slidably engaging said contact member, a spring actingupon the second toggle member, and oppositely disposed relatively spacedanvil pieces lying in the path of movement of said contact member ineither direction and so positioned as to limit said movement in bothdirections, one of said anvil pieces being adapted to be connected withan electric conductor.

2. A toggle vswitch comprising a xed support,VV

` edge portion of said switch member during movehaving means forconnection with-an electric conductor, a handle pivoted to said support,a toggle member pivoted at one end to said support and free at its otherend, a rotatively mounted contact member carried by said free end, asecond toggle member having one end pivotally engaging said handle andthe other end slidably engaging said contact member, a spring actingupon said toggle member, a fixed anvil,

and a transversely disposed rod-like anvil located above said xed anvil,said anvils being so positioned as to limit movement of the togglemembers in both directions, one of said anvil pieces being adapted to beconnected with an electric conductor.

3. A toggle switch comprising a fixed support having means forconnection with an electric conductor, a handle pivoted to said supportand having a projectioma toggle memberpivoted at one end-to said fixedsupport and having its other Y end free, a rotatively mounted contactmember carried by said free end, a toggle member having one end slidablyengaging said contact member and the other end provided with a notchedblock engaging the said projection, a spring acting upon the secondtoggle member, and oppositely disposed relatively spaced anvil pieces,one of which is in the form of a transversely disposed rod, said anvilpieces being so positioned and arranged as to limit movement of the freeend of the first mentioned toggle member in either direction, one ofsaid anvil pieces being adapted to be connected with anh electricconductor.

4. In a toggle switch, a casing having a movable cover, a at switchoperating member pivoted within said casing and extended through saidmovable cover, a spring latch connected and arranged to engage saidcover, said latch being so positioned as to be engaged and displaced byan ment thereof in one direction, and a toggle memberpivoted to saidhandle, said toggle member having a spring capable of overpowering thespringpressure upon said latch.

5. In a toggle switch, a casing having a. movable cover provided with alug, a at switch operating member pivoted within the casing and eX-tended through said cover, said switch handle having a projectingportion, a latch constructed and arranged to engage said cover, saidlatch being so positioned as to be engaged and displaced by an edge ofthe projecting portion of said operating member during movement thereofin one direction, means applying spring pressure upon said latchnormally'tending to move it-to locked position in engagement with saidlug. and a toggle member pivotally connected with said handle and havinga spring capable of overpowering the rst mentioned spring so that saidlatch will be held in said disengaged position.

6. In a switch, a casing, a perforated cover therefor having a slottherein, a flat pivotally mounted switch operating member extendedthrough said slot While the cover is in closed position, said operatingmember having a transversely disposed handle, said slot-having a portionproviding clearance for said handle, and a stop member carried by thecover in such position that the handle lies across the path of movementof said stop member while the cover is open.

ROBERT J. PARSONS.

JOHN W. CONWAY.

